The Jackson Laboratory is a large mammalian genetics research institution, with facilities in Bar Harbor, Maine, and West Sacramento, Calif. Its research staff investigates the genetic basis of cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, diabetes, and many other human diseases and disorders. The Laboratory is also source for more than 3,000 strains of genetically defined mice, home of the Mouse Genome Database and many other publicly available information resources, and an international hub for scientific courses, conferences, training and education.